Portable cutting machines



y $3511 1956 R. s. FERGUSON PORTABLE CUTTING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed June 20, 1955 INVENTOR REESER S. FERGUSON FIG. I

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FIG. 2.

ATTORNEYS July Li 1956 R. s. FERGUSON PORTABLE CUTTING MACHINES 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 1955 INVENTOR REESER S. FERGUSON MWWMATTORNEYS PORTABLE CUTTING MACHINES Reeser S. Ferguson, Spring Hill, La.

Application June 20, 1955, Serial No. 516,463

Claims. (Cl. 164-56) This invention relates to cutting apparatus and hasmore particular reference to a cutting machine particularly adapted tocut the layers of paper web which wrap around the drying drums uponbreakage of the elongated sheet of paper web passing over the dryingdrums during the process of making paper.

In the process of making paper, after the web of paper has been formed,it is fed through a succession of drums or rollers to produce thefinished product. The first group of drums are employed for drying thepaper web and are heated to a high temperature by being filled withsteam. As the paper web does not have much tensile strength, breakage ofthe paper web frequently occurs while passing over the drying drums. Asthe drying drums are rotated at a high rate of speed, when a breakage inthe paper web does occur, several layers thereof are wrapped around thedrying drum adjacent the breakage point before the drums can be stopped.Due to the size and high temperature of the drums, the quick andeficient removal of the layers of wrapped around paper web is quitedifiicult and dangerous, due to the possibility of the workmen beingseriously burned while removing the wrapped around layers.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improvedcutting machine which is particularly adapted for slitting the wrappedaround layers of paper web from the drying drums so that they can beremoved therefrom quickly and safely.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel andimproved cutting machine, as characterized above, including a portablecarrier having a power oper ated cutting device mounted thereon andprojecting outwardly therefrom, said carrier being capable of beingmoved into position adjacent the ends of the drying drums and providedwith means for raising or lowering the cutting device into properposition to cut the wrapped around layers of paper web on the dryingdrums.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved power operated cutting device comprising a cylinder adapted tobe mounted on a portable carrier for vertical translation thereon andincluding a reciprocable piston and piston rod projecting outwardly fromthe front end of the cylinder, a cutting blade angularly adjustablymounted on the outer end of the piston rod, and fluid pressure operatingmeans for reciprocating the piston.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedpower operated cutting device, as characterized above, which is simpleand durable in construction, efiicient in operation, and easy tooperate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing specification when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a cutting machineconstructed in accordance with the present invention and the manner inwhich it is employed to cut wrapped around layers of paper web fromdrying drums;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic vertical view taken on the line States Patent 02-2 of Fig. l, and showing the upper and lower felt aprons;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, of thecutting apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on theline 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the valve for controlling the flow offluid for operating the cutting device.

The present invention provides a novel and improved cutting machine forcutting wrapped around layers of paper Web from drying drums employed inmaking paper and, in general, comprises a portable carrier having avertically extending lift mast mounted thereon and provided with acarriage assembly mounted for vertical translation thereon; and a poweroperated cutting device including a cylinder mounted on the carriageassembly for up and down movement therewith, said cylinder including areciprocable piston and piston rod projecting outwardly from the frontend of the cylinder, a cutting member angularly adjustably mounted onthe outer end portion of the piston rod and fluid pressure operatingmeans for reciprocating the piston including a control valve andconduits connecting the valve to a source of fluid under pressure and tothe opposite ends of the cylinder, the construction and arrangementbeing such that the portable carrier may be moved into position adjacentone end of a drying drum with the cutting device projecting in adirection parallel to the drum and then lowered or raised into properposition to cut the wrapped around layers of paper web on the drum.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated, in Figs. 1 and 3,one embodiment of a cutting machine constructed in accordance with thepresent invention. As there shown, the machine comprises a portablecarrier, indicated generally at 10, having a power operated cuttingdevice, indicated generally at 11, mounted. thereon.

While the portable carrier 10 may be of any suitable constructionprovided with means for elevatingand lowering the cutting device mountedthereon to proper working position, preferably, and as shown in Fig. 1,the portable carrier is in the form of an industrial truck of the typemade by the Towmotor Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio, and shown in U. S.Patent No. 2,625,285. The portable carrier 10, as shown, is identical inconstruction to the industrial truck shown in the aforesaid patent andcomprises a chassis or frame structure, indicated generally at C, uponwhich are mounted the driving engine, the steering controls, and, at thefront end, a vertical lift mast M having a carriage F mounted thereonfor vertical translation. The construction and arrangement of all of thevarious parts are as described in the aforesaid patent, except that thecarriage assembly has been modified by removing the material handlingfork therefrom and mounting the power operated cutting device thereon,in a manner hereinafter to be described.

The power operated cutting device, indicated generally at 11, is shownas comprising a cylinder 12 having a rear end cap 13 and a front end cap14 suitably secured thereto; a piston 15 mounted for reciprocationwithin the cylinder and secured to the end of a piston rod 16 whichextends through the front end cap 14 and a stuffing gland 17 carriedthereby, and a cutting member, indicated generally at 18, adjustablymounted on the outer end of the piston rod.

The piston rod 16 is square in cross section, except for its outer endportion, on which the cutting member 18 is mounted, which is madeoctagonal in cross section by cutting off the four corners of the squarepiston rod, the four shoulders thus left forming an abutment againstwhich the cutting member rests when mounted on the piston rod.

The cutting member 18 is shown as comprising a hollow sleeve-like memberl? having a bore octagonal in cross section and of a size to slidinglyfit on the octagonal in cross section outer end portion of the pistonrod, and carrying a depending kn e member Zll extending down wardly andinwardly fr its outer end portion. The upper edge 21 of the knife memberis sharpened to provide a cutting edge and its free end portion isinclined downwardly to a point as indicated at 552. The bottom edge ofthe knife member is fiat. The sleevedike member 19 may be removed fromthe end of the piston rod and turned and replaced on the rod in adilterent angular position. The sleeve is held on the piston rod againstthe abutment caused by cutting otf the four corners of the square rod,as by means of a cotter pin 23 mounted in a hole formed in the end ofthe piston rod.

If desired, the sleeve member may be formed with :1 depending ridge 24along its botto edge, e: ending from the inner end of the sleeve to theknife member 2d and having its bottom end sharpened to provide a cuttingedge, as indicated at 25.

The cylinder 12 may be mounted on the carriage assembly of theindustrial truck in any suitable manner. In the particular embodiment ofthe invention illustrated, the cylinder is shown as being clamped amounting support member, indicated generally at 26 and comprising anopen'ended tubular member 27 having a longitudinal split formed in itsupper wall with flanges 2d, 29 extending upwardly along the split andprovided with bolts Bill to clamp the flanges together to thereby clampthe cylinder 12 in the split tubular member 27. The tubular member 27has an integral depending supporting plate 3i formed on its inner endwhich is bolted to the bottom vertical board 32 on the carriage assemblyof the industrial truck intermediate its ends. Additional support forthe tubular member is provided as by means of an integral reinforcingrib 33 projecting outwardly from the plate anc secured to the bottom ofthe tubular member 27. The reciprocating movement of the pisto. l andthe cutting blade is controlled as by means of any suitable type ofcontrol valve 3 which may be mounted in any suitable position on theindustrial truck in position to be controlled by the truck operator oran assistant.

A flexible conduit 35 connected to the valve 31 is adapted to beconnected to a source of lluid under pressure, preferably compressedair, and a flexible conduit 36 extends from the valve 34 to a forwardunion connection 37 mounted in the forward end portion of the cylinder12 and a flexible conduit 3% extends from the valve 34 to an after unionconnection 39 mounted in the after Wall of the cylinder and positionedto extend through a suitable opening formed in the board 32 of thecarriage assembly when the cylinder is mounted and clamped within thetubular member 27. The exhaust fluid from the cylinder passes from thevalve 34 through conduit All which exhausts to the atmosphere whencompressed air is employed as the driving fluid or back to the hydrauliccylinder when a hydraulic fluid such as oil is employed.

While the cutting machine, as above described, may be employed for manypurposes, it is particularly adapted for use in paper mills for clearingthe drying drums of the layers of the web of paper which wrap around thedrying drums whenever a breakage occurs. As above pointed out, the webof paper, after it has been formed, passes over a series of dryingdrums, which are large, hollow drums heated by live steam. These drumsare quite large, ranging up to 2l3" in length and 60 in diameter, andare heated by live steam to temperatures above 200 F. When in operation,these drying drums are rotated at a high rate of speed and whenever theweb of paper breaks, the drum adjacent the break point is wrapped aroundby several layers of the paper web before the drums can be stopped. Itis extremely difficult and dangerous to remove these wrapped aroundlayers of web paper from the drum, due to the high temperature and sizeof the drum and great care must be taken to prevent the workmen fromgetting seriously burned. With the cutting machine of the presentinvention, the removal of wrapped around paper web from the drying drumhas been made easy and safe.

The manner in which the cutting machine is employed to cut away thewrapped around paper web from a drying drum is illustrated in Figs. 1and 2. In Fig. 2 there is shown diagrammatically and in side elevation,the usual arrangement of three drying drums D1, D2, and D3; the upperfelt apron A1, which passes over the large upper drying drum Dr, thesmall drum d, and the large upper drying drum D2, and the lower feltapron A2 which passes over the small drum (12, under the lower dryingdrum D3 and over the small drum dz. The Web of paper l after it has beenformed, is threaded over the upper drying drum D1 beneath the felt apronA1, then around the lower drying drum D3 beneath the lower felt apron A2and then up over the drying drum D2 beneath the upper felt apron A1.With the drying drums rotating at high speed, whenever a breakage occursin the paper web, the web will be wrapped several layers deep around thedrum closest to the break in the direction opposite to the direction oftravel of the paper web. Thus, if a break occurs between drying drums D1and D2, drum D1 will be wrapped, it between drums D2 and D3, drum D2will be wrapped, if after the web has passed over drum D2, drum D2 willbe wrapped.

Whenever a break occurs and one of the drying drums is Wrapped withseveral layers of paper web before the drums can be stopped, the dryingdrums are shut down and the cutting machine moved into position so thatthe cylinder 12 will project into the space between the three drums in adirection parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum which is to becleared of wrapped paper, the knife member having been previouslymounted on the end of the piston rod so that it will extend in adirection to the surface of the drum when in cutting position and thenthe piston is extended to the end of its stroke to bring the knife intoposition to engage the metal surface of the drum beyond the far edge ofthe paper web wrapping and the cylinder is lowered or raised, as thecase may be, to bring the bottom of the knife into engagement with themetal surface of the drum. When in proper cutting position, the controlvalve 3 3 is actuated to push the piston inwardly, resulting in theknife being pulled across the drum, severing the layers of wrappedaround paper web. As the length of the drying drum is longer than thestroke of the piston rod, as soon as the knife has been pulled back tothe end of the stroke of the piston, then the truck or carrier is backedaway in a straight line to complete the severing of the wrapped paper.

The foregoing method of operation permits the quick removal of thewrapped paper web from the drum without disturbing the felt and withoutcutting off of the supply of live steam to the drum, so that the dryingdrums can be put back in operation in the shortest period of time. Italso eliminates the possibility of workers being burned by the hotdrying drums, as it is not necessary that they come sufliciently closeto the drums to be burned in operating the machine.

From the foregoing, it is readily apparent that there has been provideda novel and improved cutting machine, one particularly adapted forcutting the wrapped around paper on drying drums employed in papermakingvvhen a breakage occurs, one which is simple and rugged inconstruction, efiicient in operation, and one which may be operated by asingle operator without danger of being burned by the hot drying drums.

Obviously, the invention is not restricted to the particular embodimentthereof herein shown and described.

What is claimed is:

l. A cutting machine of the character described comprising a vehicularcarrier member having a vertically extending mast provided with acarriage mounted for vertical translation thereon; a power operatedcutting device including a cylinder mounted on said carriage andprojecting outwardly therefrcm, said cylinder including a reciprocablepiston and a piston rod projecting outwardly from the outer end of thecylinder; a cutting member mounted on the outer end portion of saidpiston rod, said cutting member being angularly adjustable about theaxis of said piston rod; and fluid pressure operating means forreciprocating said piston including a control valve and conduitsconnecting said valve to a source of fluid under pressure and to theopposite ends of said cylinder.

2. A cutting machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the outer endportion of said piston rod is polygonal in cross section and whereinsaid cutting member comprises an open-ended hollow sleeve-like memberhaving a cutting blade fixedly secured thereto and extending in adownwardly and inwardly inclined direction therefrom, said hollowsleeve-like member having a bore which is polygonal in cross section toconform to the polygonal end portion of the piston rod so that thesleeve may be slidably fitted on the end of the piston rod and adjustedto various angular positions relative thereto; and means for retainingsaid sleeve-like member in adjusted position on said piston rod.

3. A cutting machine of the character described comprising incombination a power propelled manually steered industrial truck having apower operated lift mast including a carriage assembly mounted forvertical translation thereon; and a power operated cutting devicemounted on said carriage assembly, said cutting device including acylinder mounted on said carriage assembly and projecting outwardlytherefrom, said cylinder including a reciprocable piston and a pistonrod projecting outwardly from the outer end of the cylinder, a controlvalve mounted on said truck in position to be operated by the operatorof said truck, means operatively connecting said control valve toopposite ends of said cylinder for delivering fluid under pressure tothe front and rear sides of said piston for reciprocating the same, anda cutting member mounted on the outer end portion of said piston rod,said cutting member being angularly adjustable about the axis of saidpiston rod.

4. A cutting machine as set forth in claim 3, wherein the outer endportion of said piston rod is polygonal in cross section and whereinsaid cutting member comprises an open-ended hollow sleeve-like memberhaving a cutting blade fixedly secured thereto and extending in adownwardly and inwardly inclined direction therefrom, said hollowsleeve-like member having a bore which is polygonal in cross section toconform to the polygonal end portion of the piston rod so that thesleeve may be slidably fitted on the end of the piston rod and adjustedto various angular positions relative thereto; and means for retainingsaid sleeve-like member in adjusted position on said piston rod.

5. A power operated cutting device comprising a cylinder including areciprocatable piston and a piston rod projecting outwardly from thefront end of the cylinder, said piston rod having its outer end portionmade polygonal in cross section; a cutting member removably andangularly adjustably mounted on the polygonal end portion of said pistonrod, said cutting member including a sleeve having a bore polygonal incross section and of a size to permit the sleeve to be slidably mountedin different angular positions on said piston rod and a cutting bladedepending therefrom in a downwardly and inwardly inclined direction,said sleeve having a depending ridge along its bottom extending from theinner end of the sleeve to said cutting blade and having its bottom edgesharpened to provide a cutting edge; and fluid pressure operating meansfor reciprocating said piston including a control valve and conduitsconnecting said valve to a source of fluid under pressure and to theopposite ends of said cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS177,327 Foulis May 16, 1876 498,779 Foulis June 6, 1893 1,748,266 WikleFeb. 25, 1930 1,838,011 St. Peter Dec. 22, 1931 2,269,835 Wallace et a1.Jan. 13, 1942 2,446,011 Johnson et a1. July 27, 1948 2,477,167 BlissJuly 26, 1949 2,609,876 Bauer et al. Sept. 9, 1952 2,620,993 JefireyDec. 9, 1952

